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Summit of Americas Successful, Canadian PM Says
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said Saturday that the on-going Summit of the Americas is a "great success," with leaders of 34 American countries agreeing on a "democratic clause" as a central condition for participation in a proposed hemispheric trade pact.
The democratic clause will be adopted by the Quebec declaration to be issued at the end of the three-day summit Sunday, the prime minister told a press conference.
The clause covers all the process of the summit and governs the important issues such as the proposed Free Trade Areas of the Americas (FTAA), he said.
As a result of the "good discussions," the Inter-American Development Bank will be authorized to apply the democratic clause, the prime minister added.
Chretien also said he didn't find fundamental difference between the United States and Brazil in terms of either the democratic clause or the talks of FTAA.
Brazil, the largest economy in South America, demands that the United States, whose economic output accounts for more than 70 percent of the entire western hemisphere, reduce barriers to agricultural goods and cut export subsidies.
In reply to such questions, Chretien admitted further talks are still necessary towards the establishment of FTAA, which he said is in no need of a "referendum." There was no referendum when the North American Free-Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was reached in the 1990s, the prime minister explained.
However, he ruled out the possibility of a common currency for FTAA, saying he himself is strongly opposed to the idea.
Chretien praised police for ensuring security and said he viewed Saturday's great march of the parallel People's Summit of the Americas as "peaceful." Only a small number of people took violent actions, he said.
Police were clashing for the second day with anti-globalization protesters, who are trying to break the metal fence and enter the convention zone. More arrests have been made and more tear gas bombs have been shot.
Protesters were seen throwing sticks and rocks at the riot police. Part of the fence circling the convention zone has been pulled down by angry protesters, most of them young students.
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